Parliamentary Debate on Mr. Bernal Osborne's Motion Relative to the Spithea d Forts. ex-lib.

HARRIS, W. Snow, Sir OSBORNE, Bernal.

Published by John Weale, 1862,, 1862

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HARRIS, W. Snow, Sir. Parliamentary Debate on Mr. Bernal Osborne's Motion Relative to the Spithead Forts. From "National Defences: The Great Question of the Day." L: John Weale, 1862. Pp 30, [2] leaves plates. 8vo, printed wraps with red spine. A fascinating example of the immediate and wideranging influence of the Battle of Hampton Roads, fought in the year of the debate's publication. Osborne moved for the cessation of plans to build new forts in the approaches to Portsmouth, on the following grounds: "That the proposed forts could never be armed with artillery capable of producing any impression upon iron-clad vessels, which coul run by them with impunity, hence such forts would be useless; that iron-clad ships might range for hours within the guns of a fortress, and yet receive no damage whatever; that the possibility of placing guns of such size and destructive power on these forts as would damage an iron-clad ship, was quite absurd; that the forts, to be of any use, must have guns powerful enough to meet such vessels as the "Monitor" and "Merrimac," which resisted shot weighing 180 lbs. when the ships were laying muzzle to muzzle; that, if they had guns of such enormous magnitude, the firing of one of them would be like springing a mine, and would be destructive to the people in the fort. That against such ships, the forts might as well be armed with pop-guns and squirts as with the heaviest ordnance." Ex-library (inkstamps only), very light soiling, else vg. 100.00. Seller Inventory # 43269

Bibliographic Details

Title: Parliamentary Debate on Mr. Bernal Osborne's...

Publisher: John Weale, 1862,

Publication Date: 1862

Binding: Soft cover